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Topic Review (Newest First)

01-21-2009 11:12 AM

WanderingStar

The best reason to build a boat: because you want to.
I've built a few small ones. Launching and sailing my 11' dinghy was one of the best days of my life. Building a flatiron skiff for a friend's birthday was one of the best gifts ever.
Big boats are harder. I've heard it said that if you dream of building a cruising boat, build the dinghy first. Sound advice.

I am surprised kit boat building isn't all that strong. The kit plane market seams to be healthy. Why not just buy a FG hull, deck, and liner module and put it together yourself with you doing all the mechanical, woodworking, and plumbing? I believe some early Flickas came that way. Why not now? Is the bulk of the labor just in laying up the glass? If I can buy a all metal plane kit and just spend 500 hours riveting it together, why not take a pre-made hull, deck, and liner module, poured keel, and do the rest? Can't be all that hard to put one together.

One very important reason why boat kits are not as popular as kitplanes- size.
A kitplane can be shipped on pallets, weighs well less than half a ton and can be handled by any freight company. Then, once the new dream is delivered, the builder can build the subassemblies in the average garage , shed or basement workshop, and do final assembly in the driveway. Kitplanes are also relatively short, allowing assembly in a standard height garage.

On the other hand, a 30 ' hull with a 9' beam would have to be shipped by dedicated truck, would likely require permits, and then would require a space with a substantial amount of square footage and high ceilings to finish construction, or the builder is limited to working on fair weather days.

This may explain why small boat building is alive and well, but for every dozen dinghies being finished in garages across the continent, there is one more ad on craigslist for an unfinished 30 ' plywood dream. Ever notice that most of the "free boat" and "cheap boat" ads in the back pages of good old boat and woodenboat magazine include the phrase "lost storage"?

01-20-2009 10:31 PM

scottyt

i really want a mid 30's cat, i dont make enough to ever think of buying a new one. i cant even afford a 20 plus year old catalac 8. i have flirted with the thought of building one, but that would cost as much as an older beat up cat needing 15 k of work. i also dont like cored hulls be low water line so most home built designs are out the window.

i think someone out there should get 5 people with the cash to all go in on a mold, then each comes does their hull lay up. total cost would be fairly low for each to have a floating hull

edit the thought i have for the cat that would reduce cost would be to design the rigging around a very common boat ( mono hull )that is starting to be scrapped due to age ie say catalina 27 or 30's. that gives masts and booms as well as sails on the market used but in fair shape

01-20-2009 08:30 PM

blt2ski

here you go 30 yrs later, still not splashed, this trip was two yrs ago, was to go in last yr, maybe this year. Step dad is now in his mid 80's, 2 hip replacements later, one knee replacement, I hope he is able to sail it once before he goes away. Not my type of boat. If he was working on a T-bird..........maybe.

Not sure it is worth building one yourself, other than to say you did it, yes been there done that with an 8' pram, and typical 12' sloop rig as a teen in plywood from Glen-L plans. I may build a dingy again, to sail in a small lake near me, probably an El Toro if I can verify a local fleet is availible to race against. other wise, not sure why?

marty

01-20-2009 07:38 PM

deniseO30

To ask the OP's question on the wooden boat forum would be dangerous! I love boats, and wooden boats in particular, but realized many years ago I'd have to concertrate my wish to build on small boats only. I found myself building clear fiberglass strip canoes. After 5 of those I got tired of the sticky stuff and started applying my efforts to restoring traditionally built wood canvas canoes. Then a couple of plywood kayaks, and a one off 15ft wood canvas canoe of my own design. Then bought an old house. That pretty much put my love for wooden boats on hold.

If someone were really really that in love with building a boat there are hundreds (maybe thousands) in barns, yards, garages that have never been finished! Then of course restoration of a boat always makes sense too. There are lists and organizations like "wooden boat rescue , good old boat, and bone yard boats". I still think the best thing to do is find a fiberglass boat that needs TLC. My oday gets a few wood items fixed or changed every year. It quells the nagging wish to have a "real wooden boat"

I did sell off my 9ft plastic dinghy with the intent of building my next dink. It's going to be a 12 ft "semi dory" I may make it 11 ft though. I'll be using marine plywood for the "strakes" (planks that look like house siding) steam bent ribs and a mahogany transom. Maybe even a dagger board and sail rig!
why? because I love wooden boats! if you don't know that feeling I could never impart the passion upon you! I could buy one cheaper for sure. You can say I am building my next boat! her name will be be " A lil keeled over"

01-20-2009 07:03 PM

camaraderie

Hey...no need to start from Scratch Capn'...David Vann has one that only need a "little work"!

01-20-2009 06:51 PM

sailingdog

A lot of custom boat building is still being done. Many multihulls are one-offs. Farrier, Kelsall, Cross and several others have sold a lot of plans over the past twenty years.

01-20-2009 04:51 PM

WouldaShoulda

My Uncle built a small power cruiser, must have been almost 40 years ago. He owned it a few years and sold it when he traded up.

A neighbor was building a ferro-cement sailing vessel during this same time.

That hull is still in his yard!!

01-20-2009 04:46 PM

LittleWingCA

I am surprised kit boat building isn't all that strong. The kit plane market seams to be healthy. Why not just buy a FG hull, deck, and liner module and put it together yourself with you doing all the mechanical, woodworking, and plumbing? I believe some early Flickas came that way. Why not now? Is the bulk of the labor just in laying up the glass? If I can buy a all metal plane kit and just spend 500 hours riveting it together, why not take a pre-made hull, deck, and liner module, poured keel, and do the rest? Can't be all that hard to put one together.

01-20-2009 03:55 PM

tommays

The 36' Northern Lights next to my friends boat is a piece of work BUT it took the family 12 years to build it and they really worked hard at it

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